Article container and stand



Oct. 18,1938. w EHRLlcH 2,133,607

' ARTICLE CONTAINER AND STAND Filed June 28, 1933 \MLLEAM EHRLICH BNVENTQR ATTORNEY it I Patented Oct. 18, 1 938 ARTICLE CONTAINER AND STAND William Ehrlich, Chicago, Ill., assignor of fortyfive per cent to Albert J. Fihe, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 28,1933, Serial No. 677,989

Claims. (01'. 206-44) delivery to the ultimate consumer while at the same time, the article is continually kept in an attractive and palatable state.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a display stand and container for pies, cakes or the like which shall be economical to manuiacture, simple bf construction, easy of application, and which will positively support the pie or other article during handling, and which moreover shall be capable of ready and instant removal whenever desired.

.Still another and further important object of the invention resides in the provision of a display stand and container support for pies which shall provide for a free circulation of air and consequent ventilation of the hot pies when placed therein, so that sogginess and any other consequent damage to the product is avoided.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of a strip of cardboard, metal or the like from which the improved article container and support of this invention is adapted to be made.

Figure 2 is a sectional View of the strip shown in Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the device, showing the same in position around a pie or similar article of merchandise.

Figure 4 illustrates a modification of the invention.

Figure 5 shows one end of a strip from which the modification of Figure 4 is constructed.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a pie plate or similar container used in conjunction with the strip of Figure 5 which is formed into a band to produce the container shown in Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 4, showing a detail of the invention.

Figure 8 illustrates another modification oi. the invention.

Figure 9 is an end view of the strip shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an assembled top plan view of the modification illustrated in Figure 8. I

Figure 11 is a partial front elevation of a further modification of the invention.

Figure 12 is a sectional view of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 11.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral l0 indicates generally a strip of cardboard, thin metal, Celluloid, or

other material from which the combined article container and display stand of this invention is constructed.

Asbest shown in Figure 2, the strip l0 has its upper and lower edges l2 and H bent downwardly and upwardly respectively so as to form a doubled and accordingly stronger edge. In- Wardly struck tabs or the like l6 and I8 are formed integral with the strip l0, these being preferably of the shape shown in Figure 1, but which obviously can be of some other shape or design as desired or convenient.

From the illustration of Figure 3, it will be evident that these tabs 16 and I8 are adapted to receive and support the peripheral outer edges of the pie plate or similar container, about the circumference of which the strip I0 is placed after having been originally formed into a circue. lar band of an inside diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of the pie plate 20 with which it is adapted to cooperate.

The pie or other material 22 in the plate is preliminarily covered with a sheet of material, preferably tough and transparent, as one of the well-known cellulosecompositions now on the market, and the area of this material 24 is of suflicient extent so that its edges overlap the edges -01. the'pie plate 20 to a suillcient extent so that when the band II! is pushed downwardly over the pie plate, the inner ends of the tabs I6 and I8 will securely grip the periphery of the plate 20 and also the juxtaposed edges of the transparent cover 24, whereby a unitary article results.

The material of the strip 0 is sufllciently resilient so that the tabs l8 will spring back into position as shown in Figures 2 and 3 after having been pushed over the periphery of the pie plate 20, thereby securely holding both the pie a display container. The gripping action of the inner ends of the tabs l6 and 18 upon the sheet of transparent material 24 as doubled over about the edges of the pie plate 20 will securely retain all parts of the device in desired assembled relationship and positively prevent the pie 22 from falling out of the plate even though the container be accidentally dropped oreven turned upside down. A certain amount of strength is inherent in the material of the container whether of cardboard, metal or other material whereby the edges of the pie or other product, and in fact, the entire product will be securely protected against undesirable blows, shocks or other damaging actions.

In Figures 4 to 7 inclusive is shown a modified form of the invention wherein a pie plate 26 has its outer edge or periphery formed with a series of integral projections or the like 28 which may be of any desired number, preferably from four to ten. These projections are adapted to be fitted into corresponding slots 30 formed in a strip of paper, cardboard, metal, Celluloid or the like 32.

The pie 34 in the plate 26 is likewise covered with a transparent sheet of some cellulose material or the like 36, and the edges of this sheet extending around the edges of the projections 28 will be securely clamped between these projections and the edges of the corresponding slots 30 as best shown in Figure 4 when the device is assembled. This assembly, as in the case of the other modifications, simply consists of pushing the band 32, which is formed into a circular or other corresponding shape, down over the edges of the pie plate or similar container, whereby the projections 28 will be slightly displaced or bent downwardly until such time as they come into alignment with the slots 30, whereupon the natural resiliency of the material will cause the projections to again spring outwardly, retaining the assembly in the proper desired relationship.

In order that the band be'placed in proper interfltting relationship with the projections, a marking device is provided in the form of a semi-circular indentation or the like 40 formed in one of the projections which then produces two small projections 42 adjacent the indentation 40, and this is used for aligning the overlap 44 of the joined strip therewith so that an accurate inter'fitting of all the parts will positively result when the assembly is started as above indicated.

A still further'modiflcation of the'invention is illustrated in Figures 8, 9, and 10 wherein a band 46 is formed of some corrugated material .such as paper, cardboard, metal or the like,.and

into which slots 48 are cut at certain portions of the inwardlyv extending corrugations as best shown inFigureQ, whereby'a space is provided -for the reception and retention of the edge of a pie plate ill or the like, together'with an associated pie covering such as the transparent wrapper, 24 or 36.

In the modification shown in Figures 1, 2, and

3, the inwardly struck tabs l8 provided ventilating openlngsfor the escape of steam and other hot gaseswhich'might be in the pie when it is first baked, and similar openings may be provided in the strips 32 and 46 whereby sogginess of the contained product is prevented. r

It'will be evident that herein is provided a novel and attractive display device and container for variousarticles of merchandise-particularly food products such as pies and cakes, and which may be made economically and simply and out of almost any material. Furthermore, proper ventilation of hot pics Or other products is provided for, quick removal of the device is rendered possible, and an attractive and satisfactory package results. The inherent resiliency of the parts themselves allows of ready assembly while at the same time providing a package which is not likely to come apart even under severe conditions of usage or handling. The corrugated support shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 may be surrounded with an ornamental band or the like which, inthat event, should be slightly over-size so as toallow of expansion of the corrugated strip, and this outer band may be accordingly fastened by glue or the like to several points of the corrugated element so as to allow for such expansion, while at the same time retaining the parts in prroer relationship.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. An article container and display support, comprising a band, a supporting platform adapted to be associated with the band, said supporting platform provided with integral projections for insertion in corresponding slots inthe band, and means for aligning the projections and slots in assembly, said means comprising a pair of relatively small adjacent projections separated by a distinctive notch.

2. An article container and display support, comprising a band, a supporting platform adapted to be associated with the band, said supporting platform provided with integral projections for insertion in corresponding slots in the band, and means for aligning the projections and slots in assembly, said means comprising a pair of relatively small adjacent projections separated by a distinctive notch, said notch adapted to be interfltted with the overlapped portion of the band.

3. A commodity wrapper comprising a plate member forsupporting the commodity and having a peripheral vertically yieldable flange; a flexible cover sheet disposed over said commodity and having its marginal portions depending over the flange of said plate; a preformed flexible endless band member having its ends permanently secured together surrounding said plate and the marginal portions of said cover sheet; said band member having a yielding spring engagement with said plate flange, and a plurality of spaced elongated apertures in said band member receiving adjacent portions of said plate flange and cover sheet, whereby vertical movement of said permanently endless band member relative to said plate draws said cover sheet sub stantially taut over the commodity, engages portions ofsaid flange within said apertures and thereafter maintains the wrapper in assembled position by the spring engagement of said flange portions with said spaced apertures to clamp adjacent marginal portions of said cover sheet therebetween.

4. A commodity wrapper comprising a plate for supporting the commodity and having a peripheral vertically yieldable flange, a flexible cover sheet disposed over said commodity and 7s having its marginal portions depending over the flange oi said plate, a preformed flexible endless band member surrounding said plate and the marginal portions of said cover sheet and hav ing a yielding spring engagement with the plate flange, said band having an intemai diameter less than the external diameter of said plate flange, and a plurality of spaced elongated apertures in said band member for receiving adjacent portions of said plate flange and cover sheet, whereby vertical movement of said band member relative to said plate draws said cover sheet substantially taut over the commodity and thereafter maintains the wrapper in assembled position by the spring engagement of said flange portions with said spaced apertures to clamp adjacent marginal portions of said cover sheet therebetween.

5. A commodity wrapper comprising a plate member for supporting the commodity and having a peripheral flange provided with spaced vertically flexible projecting portions, a flexible cover sheet disposed over said commodity and having its marginal portions depending over the flange of said plate, a preformed flexible endless band member surrounding said plate and the marginal portions of said cover sheet, said band member having its ends permanently secured together and having a yielding spring engagement with the plate flange, and a plurality of spaced elongated apertures in said band member for receiving the outwardly projecting portions of said plate flange and adjacent portions of said cover sheet, whereby vertical movement of said band member relative to said plate draws said cover sheet substantially taut over the commodity and thereafter maintains the wrapper in assembled pofltion by the spring engagement of said outwardly projecting flange portions with said spaced apertures to clamp adjacent marginal portions of said cover sheet therebetween.

, WILLIAM BER-LICK. 

